Anniversary
by glorifiedgleek
Summary: When Carl forgets his and Emma's anniversary, he has to make it up to Emma big time;One-shot


**A/N:** I'm sure everyone knows that Carl and Emma's marriage will be over soon. This is the anniversary they could have had. As always, I want to thank Lane for betaing.

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Emma awoke and sat up in bed. She checked the time on the clock on the nightstand and realized she had beaten the alarm. Well, of course she had. She was so excited last night that she was surprised she'd even slept at all. She turned expectantly to catch a glimpse at Carl still sleeping. Finalizing the plans for tonight in his dreams, she hoped. Best to let him sleep, she sighed, and got out of the bed. It was time to start the day.

Emma had already prepared breakfast and was just about to take her seat at the table when Carl came, sheepishly into the kitchen.

"I thought you'd sleep til night," Emma joked as he walked over to the table and gave her a kiss on the forehead. She had gotten over her phobia of morning breath long ago. In fact, almost all of her OCD and germaphobic tendencies were gone at this point. Something, she owed Carl a lot for. He had really been doing a great job in helping her with her anxieties.

Carl fixed his plate and took a seat next to Emma. As he ate his food, Emma looked at him, starry eyed.

"What," Carl asked, mouth full of eggs.

"Nothing," she laughed. "I'm just waiting for you to tell me our plans for tonight."

"Plans," Carl asked as food started to spill out of mouth. He swallowed before he continued to speak. "Plans for what?"

The smile on Emma's face receded into a frown and the stars disappeared from her eyes. He couldn't have forgotten. "Do you know what today is," she asked in a very serious tone.

Carl looked up racked his brain for a moment. "It's Wednesday, I believe," he said as he brought his head down. When he did, he was greeted by a very sourfaced Emma. "What?"

Emma got up and ran into their bedroom and shut the door. Carl got up and followed her. "Emma, what did I do," he asked pleadingly from outside the locked door.

"If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you," she said in between sobs.

"Emma, I-"

"Go to work Carl," Emma barked from the other side of the door. "I don't want to speak to you right now."

Carl just leaned against the door for a moment, not knowing what to do. Finally, he said, "I can't just leave Ems. I haven't showered yet and my clothes are in there."

He smiled to himself, hoping she'd allow him assess to the room and they could talk about whatever was bothering her. He eased away from the door when he heard the lock turn.

"Fine, you can come in," Emma said as she opened the door. "I have to get to the school anyway. Happy Anniversary."

She started to walk away and the smile on Carl's face disappeared. He grabbed for Emma's arm. "Anniversary," he said perplexed. "Today's our-"

Emma nodded as she made her way out of Carl's grasp and began to walk to the front door. She'd have to fix her make up in the car.

X

As Emma made her way to her office, she noticed Rachel standing on the outside of her door with a smile on her face and her hands behind her back. Emma gulped as she feared what Rachel might be hiding. When she made it to her door she took a deep breath.

"Why hello Rachel," she greeted. "What brings you by so early?"

"I wanted to bring you this," Rachel said as she brought her arms from behind her back. She was holding a rectangular box, gift wrapped, with a gold bow on top. It was addressed to Ms. Pillsbury-Howell. "Happy Anniversary," Rachel added with a smile.

Emma chuckled. Only Rachel would be able to remember that. And what was worse, she remembered but her own husband hadn't. Emma politely accepted the gift. "Thank you Rachel. You are really too kind. How on earth did you know that it was mine and Carl's anniversary today?"

Rachel smiled. "Well, you guys got married around the time of Sectionals last year, and I could never forget a date like that. And it's really not too much Ms. Pillsbury. You've helped me out a lot recently and the gift is a token of thanks as well."

Emma smiled back at Rachel. She had been a lot of help to Rachel. It was just a few months ago when Rachel and Finn had broken up for what seemed like the hundredth time when Rachel came knocking on Emma's door for advice. She'd been coming to her a few times a week since.

Emma was never really that good at relationship advice but being with Carl had to have taught her a thing or two because whatever advice she'd given Rachel seemed to be helping.

"Alright, well Ms. Pillsbury, I guess I'll stand aside and let you get into your office," Rachel laughed. "I have to be at Finn's locker in a few moments. We have some things to talk about."

Emma laughed as Rachel walked away. She really was something else. When she was settled into her office and had taken a seat at her desk, she decided to open Rachel's gift. It would be the only one she'd be receiving today. No harm in being anxious to open it.

She unwrapped the gift and took the top off the box. As expected, the gift was star-related. It was a white scarf adorned with little gold stars. Emma considered it beautiful and would have put it on had it matched what she was wearing. Instead she opened one of her drawers in her desk and placed the gift inside.

As she placed it down, she noticed another gift. She pulled it out. It was her anniversary gift to Carl. She had decided to hide it in school to ensure that Carl wouldn't find it. She looked over the gift and pondered whether Carl still deserved her giving it to him.

X

"Happy anniversary Emma," Will said as he made his way to their table at lunch. Emma sighed as she heard those words. Did everyone besides Carl know what today was?

"What's wrong Em," he said as he took his seat. "I thought you'd be on cloud nine today." It had been a long road, but Will had finally accepted Emma's marriage to Carl. It really came down to him realizing that he could rather have Emma as a friend or have nothing at all. The choice was easy.

"It's nothing Will," Emma lied. The thought of Carl forgetting their anniversary was hard enough. Will didn't need to know about it.

"Oh," said Will, not fully convinced. "So what are you guys' plans for tonight? Are you going somewhere special?"

"Um," said Emma. "I don't know. I think we'll just take it easy and spend some time at home."

"You're lying," Will said bluntly.

"What," Emma blushed. How did he know?

"Emma, you've been over the moon about your anniversary for weeks now. You wouldn't just settle for quiet time at home. He forgot didn't he?"

Emma thought for a second of continuing to lie, but it was no use. She was terrible at it apparently. "Yes, he forgot," she said shamefaced. "But he's been really busy with work lately so-"

Will put his hand up to silence her. "No need to defend him," He assured. "I forgot me and Terri's anniversary a couple times too. It happens. But the question is, how are you going to make him pay for it," he smirked.

Emma returned Will's smirk. "Well, I was thinking about not giving him his gift I had bought for him. Maybe waiting a few days."

Will shook his head. "No, you need something bigger than that. Something that will leave fear in him to never forget this day again."

Emma pondered this. She found it rather odd of him to be giving her this advice seeing as he presumably had been at the other end of it himself. But it was more likely he'd be on her side than Carl's with anything. She wasn't really into mind games, but Carl forgetting had really hurt her.

She gulped. "What should I do?"

X

Emma got home an hour later than usual, intensionally. She was in no rush to see Carl's face again and actually hoped her tardiness would cause him to worry, seeing as she was always so punctual. She wasn't answering his texts or calls for the same effect. She knew what she was doing was cruel, but he deserved it and it made her feel a little better imagining him suffer.

Dear God, she thought. Hopefully these aren't the first signs of Terri behavior. She shook that thought aside as she entered her house.

She could hear the faint sound of music as she walked in. Because it was so faint, she couldn't quite recognize it at first. But as she got closer to the source she placed it. It was _Love Me Tender_ by Elvis, their first song. Most of the malice went out of her at that moment. The day had to have been special for him if he could remember that song.

Emma walked into their kitchen, which seemed to be where the music was originating and was astonished. The room was dimly lit by candle light and there were roses everywhere, full-stem that had to have costed a small fortune. The kitchen table was also set meticulously with plates for two. It was absolutely beautiful.

Emma put her hands to her mouth. How could she be mad at this man? She turned suddenly when she heard someone else enter the kitchen. It was Carl.

"Oh, you're here," he said matter-of-factly. "I guess I'll reheat our meal," he said as he made his way to the oven. "I had the food out until it started to get cold and I've had _Love Me Tender_ on repeat for an hour. Why have you been ignoring my texts? I was going to surprise you."

"Carl, you did all of this," Emma asked, still astonished.

"Yeah," said Carl as he reset the oven and turned to her. "I know I messed up and I'm trying to fix it. I'm not good with dates Emma. Well calendar dates. Dates-dates I'm excellent at," he smiled.

Emma smiled back and took a seat at the table. "Well, I guess I can forgive you. You did remember our song at least."

"Yeah," Carl chuckled as he took the seat across from her. "Elvis is high quality at Vegas weddings."

Emma's smile faded a little. Carl reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "Look, I know you've always wanted a big wedding and I know how much grief your family gives you about not being there when you tied the knot. That's why I'm giving you the gift I am."

"And what are you getting me," Emma asked curiously. How could that knowledge lead to a gift?

"Another wedding," Carl smirked.

"What," asked Emma. She couldn't have heard him right.

"You heard right," said Carl. "I want us to get married again. Er renew our vows. I want you to have that dream wedding you've always hoped for. I want you do have everything you want Emma."

Emma quickly put her hands to her face to wipe away the newly formed tears. She got up from her seat and gave Carl a hug and a kiss. Another wedding would be phenomenal. How could she ever be mad at him?

"Well," Carl said backing out of Emma's kiss. "Maybe we should save all of this until after dinner. What did you get me by the way?"

Emma gulped.

"What is it," Carl laughed. "Don't tell me that you forgot a gift."

"I'm going to have to buy you something else," Emma said guiltily. "Your vintage _Rocky Horror_ album accidently got broken when I slammed it on the floor and stepped on it, repeatedly."

She smiled gingerly. "So, what about a wedding?"

Carl chuckled.

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Reviews are appreciated(:


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